This course offers an introduction to the political economy of international business. In today’s global economy, firms are as much in need of non-market strategies for dealing with governments and non-governmental organizations as they are in need of market strategies for competing with other firms. The aim of this course is to examine how these strategies interact in a marketplace that is increasingly shaped by the “visible hand” of governments and international institutions. In particular, the course surveys issues from the prevalence of so-called “border effects” (i.e., the way political boundaries impede the flow of commerce) to obligations under the World Trade Organization and the growing number of regional trade agreements (i.e., the North American Free Trade Agreement), and from labor and environmental standards to the strength of intellectual property rights.
Fall '09:
Busch M
(web site, file download)
